Journal of biomechanics最新文献

{"title":"Simultaneous quantification of lower limb skeletal posture and ground reaction forces using upright computed tomography: Potential implications for osteoarthritis assessment and treatment","authors":"Akimasa Ito ,&nbsp;Hiroyuki Seki ,&nbsp;Asahi Sujino ,&nbsp;Takeo Nagura ,&nbsp;Yoichi Yokoyama ,&nbsp;Minoru Yamada ,&nbsp;Yoshitake Yamada ,&nbsp;Masahiro Jinzaki ,&nbsp;Naomichi Ogihara","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112630","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112630","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the transmission of forces through the joints of the lower limb under weight-bearing conditions is critical for assessing the progression of knee and ankle osteoarthritis, as well as for developing effective surgical and preventive strategies. This study presents the first simultaneous quantification of three-dimensional skeletal posture and ground reaction force vectors during quiet standing, utilizing upright computed tomography and a custom-made force plate. We constructed the force plate using two six-axis force sensors, and the coordinate system of the CT was aligned with that of the force plate using metal spheres attached to the edges of the force plate. This system enabled precise measurement of ground reaction force vectors relative to the skeletal posture. The present study demonstrated that the load-bearing axis (the line connecting the femoral head center to the midpoint of the distal tibial plafond) in healthy subjects during quiet standing is not identical to the actual line of force application. The analysis revealed that the force vectors generally pass slightly medioposterior to the femoral head center. By providing a detailed view of how force is transmitted through the lower limb joints, this system potentially offers new insights into joint loading patterns that possibly contribute to osteoarthritis development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112630"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of erythrocyte density on aggregability as a marker of cell age: Dissociation dynamics in extensional flow","authors":"Midhun Puthumana Melepattu ,&nbsp;Guillaume Maîtrejean ,&nbsp;Christian Wagner ,&nbsp;Thomas Podgorski","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112603","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112603","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blood rheology and microcirculation are strongly influenced by red blood cell (RBC) aggregation. The aggregability of RBCs can vary significantly due to factors such as their mechanical and membrane surface properties, which are affected by cell aging in vivo. In this study, we investigate RBC aggregability as a function of their density, a marker of cell age and mechanical properties, by separating RBCs from healthy donors into different density fractions using Percoll density gradient centrifugation. We examine the dissociation rates of aggregates in a controlled medium supplemented with Dextran, employing an extensional flow technique based on hyperbolic microfluidic constrictions and image analysis, assisted by a convolutional neural network (CNN). In contrast to other techniques, our microfluidic experimental approach highlights the behavior of RBC aggregates in dynamic flow conditions relevant to microcirculation. Our results demonstrate that aggregate dissociation is strongly correlated with cell density and that aggregates formed from the denser fractions of RBCs are significantly more robust than those from the average cell population. This study provides insight into the effect of RBC aging in vivo on their mechanical properties and aggregability, underscoring the importance of further exploration of RBC aggregation in the context of cellular senescence and its potential implications for hemodynamics. Additionally, it suggests that this technique can complement existing methods for improved evaluation of RBC aggregability in health and disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112603"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143643551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validity of recurrent neural networks to predict pedal forces and lower limb kinetics in cycling","authors":"Juan Cordero-Sánchez ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Bini ,&nbsp;Gil Serrancolí","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112619","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112619","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dynamic variables contribute to understand the mechanics of pedalling and can assist with injury prevention. Measuring pedal forces and joint moments and powers has a high cost, which can be mitigated by using trained artificial neural networks (ANN) to predict forces from kinematics. Thus, this study aimed at training and validating recurrent ANN to predict 3D pedal forces, lower limb joint moments and powers from lower limb kinematics. Ergometer pedalling data from seventeen cyclists recorded in a single laboratory session were used to train the ANN, where various ergometer power outputs and cadences were combined. A different dataset with ten cyclists was utilized to test the ANŃs performance. Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) was performed to explore significant correlations between measured and predicted kinetic variables throughout the pedal cycle. Mean correlation values ranged from 0.79 to 0.96 and all variables exhibited significant positive correlations at their peak absolute values (p &lt; 0.05), except for the anteroposterior (p = 0.28) and mediolateral (p = 0.51) pedal forces and the knee flexion power (p = 0.33). The maximum prediction errors of the ANN in the sagittal plane were 12.1 % for the pedal forces, 17.2 % for the net joint moments and 9.4 % for the joint powers, while for non-sagittal plane were 13.0 %, 28.9 % and 24.0 %, respectively. Thus, the ANN produces kinetic data in cycling within the errors expected from the variability between assessment days.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112619"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transfemoral bone-anchored limb use changes dynamic hip muscle forces during walking","authors":"Mitchell A. Ekdahl ,&nbsp;Nicholas W. Vandenberg ,&nbsp;Danielle H. Melton ,&nbsp;Brad D. Hendershot ,&nbsp;Cory L. Christiansen ,&nbsp;Jason W. Stoneback ,&nbsp;Brecca M.M. Gaffney","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112620","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112620","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>People with unilateral transfemoral amputation commonly experience pain at the residual limb-socket interface and heightened risk of musculoskeletal overuse injuries. Compensatory movement patterns acutely alleviate pain but can contribute to chronic aberrant muscle function and joint loading. Bone-anchored limbs have been shown to normalize joint loading during walking compared to socket prostheses, but their effects on muscle forces are not well understood. In this study, we compared dynamic hip muscle forces in all three planes of motion during walking before and after transfemoral bone-anchored limb implantation. Overground walking motion capture data were collected from 19 participants before (in socket prosthesis) and 12 months following bone-anchored limb implantation. Bilateral hip muscle forces were estimated during stance using subject-specific musculoskeletal models, resolved into anteroposterior, mediolateral, and superoinferior components, and compared across timepoints. After bone-anchored limb implantation, amputated-side hip abductor muscle forces were increased throughout stance (<em>p</em> ≤ 0.048), suggesting greater force-generating capacity of hip-spanning muscles during walking. Amputated-side hip flexor posterior muscle forces were decreased following implantation during terminal stance (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001), which may contribute to reduced anterior hip joint loading in pre-swing observed in bone-anchored limb users. Hip abductor muscle forces were more symmetric during single limb support (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.034) and flexor muscle forces were more asymmetric during terminal stance (<em>p</em> = 0.047) following bone-anchored limb implantation. This study provides new insights of how bone-anchored limbs influence hip muscle function during walking, with implications for hip osteoarthritis development and progression in this population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112620"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased ankle pushoff alters frontal-plane hip and knee mechanics","authors":"Avery L. Kratzer ,&nbsp;Ria P. Rao ,&nbsp;Alison H. Chang ,&nbsp;Anne Khuu ,&nbsp;Vanessa Lara de Araújo ,&nbsp;Thiago Ribeiro Teles Santos ,&nbsp;Cara L. Lewis","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112623","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112623","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In a simple model of bipedal walking, both a muscle moment at the hip and an impulsive push generated through ankle plantarflexion power gait. There is a biomechanical tradeoff between ankle and hip moments in the sagittal plane. Although ankle pushoff is primarily sagittal, its impact on frontal-plane mechanics, which are related to hip and knee injury risk, remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate how increased ankle pushoff influences frontal-plane hip and knee moments during level walking. Understanding these effects could guide treatments for individuals with hip or knee symptoms linked to frontal-plane mechanics. Thirty-seven healthy adults walked on an instrumented treadmill under two conditions: Habitual (typical gait) and Push (increased ankle pushoff). Kinematic and kinetic data were collected and normalized for gait cycle and body weight. Statistical parametric mapping and peak value analysis were used to compare differences in internal joint moments and angles between conditions. Increased pushoff was confirmed by greater ankle plantarflexion moments and angular impulse in the Push condition. At the hip, increased pushoff resulted in a greater abduction moment early in stance and a reduced abduction moment and adduction angle late in stance. At the knee, increased pushoff led to a greater abduction moment late in stance. These findings suggest that increasing ankle pushoff during walking has significant effects on hip and knee frontal-plane biomechanics, which may not be beneficial for individuals with conditions influenced by hip and knee abduction moments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112623"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143643554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationship between gait asymmetry and time since amputation in individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation","authors":"Takeshi Hara ,&nbsp;Genki Hisano ,&nbsp;Toshiki Kobayashi ,&nbsp;Hélène Pillet ,&nbsp;Ryota Morishima ,&nbsp;Yukihiko Mizuno ,&nbsp;Hiroaki Hobara","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112622","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112622","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although time since amputation (TSAmp) is recognized as a primary factor influencing the walking ability of individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation (uTFA), the specific effects of TSAmp on gait asymmetry remain insufficiently investigated. This study aimed to clarify whether gait asymmetry decrease with longer TSAmp across a range of walking speeds. Thirty individuals with uTFA, classified as K-3 and K-4 functional levels, participated in this study. Participants walked at eight speeds (ranging from 2.0 to 5.5 km/h in increments of 0.5 km/h) on an instrumented treadmill. Spatiotemporal parameters and peak values of ground reaction forces (GRFs), including anteroposterior, mediolateral, and vertical components, were measured to calculate the asymmetry ratio. Linear regression analyses were subsequently conducted to examine the relationships between TSAmp, TSAmp/Age (age-normalized TSAmp), and the asymmetry ratio. The results demonstrated no significant correlations between TSAmp, TSAmp/Age, and the asymmetry ratio across all measured parameters and walking speeds. These findings suggest that TSAmp and TSAmp/Age exhibit weak associations with gait asymmetry in terms of spatiotemporal parameters and peak GRFs. The results of the present study suggest that neither TSAmp nor TSAmp/Age are necessarily associated with gait asymmetry. Therefore, predicting gait asymmetry in individuals with uTFA based solely on TSAmp is not feasible.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112622"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143629186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro characterisation of the patient-specific haemodynamics of an extracranial peripheral arteriovenous malformation using PIV","authors":"Aloma Blanch-Granada ,&nbsp;Theofilos Boulafentis ,&nbsp;Chung Sim Lim ,&nbsp;Janice Tsui ,&nbsp;Vanessa Díaz-Zuccarini ,&nbsp;Stavroula Balabani","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112604","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112604","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Peripheral Arteriovenous Malformations (pAVMs) are congenital vascular anomalies characterised by abnormal connections between arteries and veins that bypass the capillary network. This bypass results on a high-flow and low resistance vascular structure termed nidus. The high-flow and complex angioarchitecture of pAVMs makes treatment challenging and often suboptimal, as evidenced by high recurrence rates. Current treatment strategies rely on qualitative imaging techniques. Quantitative haemodynamic information on pAVMs can provide insight into the pathology and potentially enhance intervention outcomes. We report an experimental study on pAVMs haemodynamics resolved using patient-specific 3D-printed phantoms and Particle Image Velocimetry. A 3D printable porous structure was implemented to reproduce the pressure drop the blood flow experiences as it passes through the nidus, derived from <em>in vivo</em> patient data. Velocity measurements past the nidus revealed complex flow patterns, due to the high flow nature of the pAVM and the vessel anatomy which could potentially serve as biomarkers to assess the efficacy of interventions and the disease severity and progression. To the best of our knowledge this is the first <em>in vitro</em> study to combine patient-specific phantoms and detailed velocity distributions in a pAVM. The <em>in vitro</em> approach reported herein can be used for <em>in silico</em> model validation, physical intervention testing and to inform data driven methodologies that could all optimise pAVM procedures and reduce recurrence rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112604"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143629268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biomechanical contributors to loading rates during gait following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction","authors":"Justin D. Dennis ,&nbsp;Alex E. Nilius ,&nbsp;Thomas B. Birchmeier ,&nbsp;Derek R. Dewig ,&nbsp;Brian G. Pietrosimone ,&nbsp;J. Troy Blackburn","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112618","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112618","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis (PTOA) develops rapidly after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and both high and low vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) loading rates are associated with cartilage degeneration. However, the gait characteristics that influence vGRF linear and instantaneous loading rates after ACLR are unknown. Sixty-nine individuals with ACLR (sex: 72 % female, age: 20 ± 3 years, and time since ACLR: 26 ± 16 months) walked at a self-selected pace from which the vGRF linear (slope from heel strike to peak) and instantaneous (peak of the first time derivative) loading rates were calculated. Lasso regressions were utilized to objectively identify a subset of predictor variables that influence vGRF linear and instantaneous loading rates. The identified predictors were then utilized in multiple regressions to determine the unique variance attributable to each predictor by computing <span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mrow></math></span> when that predictor was removed from the model. Greater gait speed (<span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup><mrow><mo>=</mo><mn>0.019</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, greater medial hamstring preparatory amplitude (<span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup><mrow><mo>=</mo><mn>0.022</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, and lesser peak posterior ground reaction force (pGRF) (<span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup><mrow><mo>=</mo><mn>0.103</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> were associated with greater vGRF linear loading rate. Greater gait speed (<span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup><mrow><mo>=</mo><mn>0.072</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, greater medial hamstring preparatory amplitude (<span><math><mrow><mi>Δ</mi></mrow></math></span> r² = 0.016), greater anterior ground reaction force (aGRF) immediately after heel strike (<span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup><mrow><mo>=</mo><mn>0.054</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, and lesser peak pGRF (<span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup><mrow><mo>=</mo><mn>0.019</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> were associated with greater vGRF instantaneous loading rates. Lesser pGRF and greater aGRF immediately after heel strike explain additional variance in vGRF linear and instantaneous loading rates beyond that explained by gait speed. Future investigations should evaluate the relationship between the aGRF immediately after heel strike and pGRF with indicators of cartilage degeneration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112618"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143611225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An experimental methodology to measure the effects of intervertebral interventions on the facet biomechanics in situ","authors":"James P Warren,&nbsp;Emily Bomphrey,&nbsp;Marlène Mengoni","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112617","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112617","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Whereas facet joints are recognised as being involved in back pain with high prevalence of early degeneration, the biomechanics of facet joints remain understudied and often overlooked in the evaluation of spinal interventions.</div><div>This study aimed to develop a methodology for investigating the biomechanics of lumbar facet joints and applied it to a mock fusion model with posteriorly centred compressive loads.</div><div>The proposed methodology involved measuring facet joint biomechanics through synchronized specimen load and displacement measurements, motion capture of the superior facets with 4 K webcams, and pressure mapping through the facet joints. The experimental method was developed using aged ovine lumbar functional units (N = 6).</div><div>Results showed that the proposed methodology to measure facet joints biomechanics was accurate (displacement errors below 0.2 mm) and able to capture changes in biomechanics following a mock fusion (with significant differences in all measured displacements). Pressure measurement was challenging due to curvature changes in old ovine tissue which was used for method development but translated successfully to human lumbar tissue. It showed that an aged sheep model is not a good model for posterior spinal biomechanics.</div><div>This work specifies a new, accurate, methodology to evaluate facet joint biomechanics in vitro and, uniquely, how they change following a spinal intervention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112617"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel small-sized ePTFE valves for neonatal RVOT reconstruction: an in-vitro investigation","authors":"Ibrahim Basar Aka ,&nbsp;Husnu Firat Altin ,&nbsp;Bahaeddin Umur Aka ,&nbsp;Riza Turkoz ,&nbsp;Kerem Pekkan","doi":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112613","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jbiomech.2025.112613","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Small-sized right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduits are hindered by calcification, degeneration, or infective endocarditis and face limited availability. Valved conduits of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene leaflets offer a promising path toward enhanced longevity and performance. This in-vitro study introduces innovative expanded polytetrafluoroethylene valve designs for small-sized conduits.Three bicuspid and three tricuspid expanded polytetrafluoroethylene leaflets designed for size 12 mm were tested using an in-vitro pediatric right-heart mock-up loop and compared with our baseline leaflet design. Polyvinylchloride was used to create a transparent tube for visual access. Regurgitation rates, pressure gradients, effective orifice area under 0.5–3 L/min cardiac outputs, and 100–150beats/min heart rates are measured. Mechanical differences between expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and polyvinylchloride are investigated through biaxial strain tests. In newborn hemodynamic conditions, 0.5–1 L/min cardiac output, bileaflet valves demonstrated regurgitation rates below 20%, and two tricuspid models maintained regurgitation rates below 15% with gradients below 25 mmHg. In infant conditions, 1–3 L/min output, the regurgitation rates of trileaflet models were below 20%, with gradients consistently below 35 mmHg. The fully coapting bileaflet model showed a regurgitation rate of less than 15% and a gradient below 30 mmHg across newborn and infant conditions. A circumferential difference of less than 0.12 mm was detected between expanded polytetrafluoroethylene and polyvinylchloride. Both the fully coapting bileaflet and redundant trileaflet configurations can be integrated in the small conduits. Polyvinylchloride can be an alternative to expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tube graft in in-vitro studies, allowing visual access to assess leaflet kinematics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15168,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biomechanics","volume":"183 ","pages":"Article 112613"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143579939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}